Revelations
by Only Hope-7
Summary: Could he love her again after what she had done? As Emily awakens from her shooting without any memories, Daniel must decide if he can proceed with the marriage knowing that she lied to him. Even if he can forgive her sins, there is always the possibility Emily's memory will return. Ultimately, they're both keeping secrets that could unravel everything. [Daniel/Emily Romance]
1. Prologue: Awakening

**A/N: I had told myself I would not begin another story with another one still pending, but I've had this plot on my mind for quite some time, and just decided I better start writing it. My other fic remains my first priority writing wise. I do not even know if anyone will be interested in this storyline, and if you're not, then I won't continue. Since I am a fan of the Demily pairing, I'm sure it goes without saying, that it was very disappointing how Season 3 played out. It is my hope with this story to explore a different, and more positive, direction for their characters after the shooting. It is my opinion, if the writers had remained true to Daniel's character established in the first two seasons of the show, he would not have given up on Emily so easily.. before or after the shooting. I'm just saying... :)**

**Prologue**

She had been a fantasy to him. He'd wanted her from the first moment he saw her, and once he had her, he felt as though he was complete. Then the rain came, both literally and figuratively. From the night of their engagement forward, events began to unfold that neither one had anticipated: from Tyler's murder trial to Emily's betrayal, to their broken engagement. The months that followed were lonely for Daniel. Ashley Davenport had attempted to fill the void Emily had left in his heart, but had paled in comparison. No one else was her. Emily was all he had ever wanted and would ever want. And when she returned to him, Daniel swore to himself that he would never let his pride get in the way again, that he would never let her go. Now she was his wife, for better or for worse. Well, it was far worse than he could have ever imagined.

In a matter of seconds, Emily had shattered his dreams. It had all been a lie. Hearing the words coming from her mouth that she had faked the pregnancy had sent him into a rage. His intoxication level had merely fueled the fire. Daniel had done the unthinkable when he pulled the trigger of her gun, not once, but twice. The vision of Emily's body falling backwards over the railing of the yacht and into the ocean would haunt him forever.

As he now stood at her bedside, listening to the monitor steadily beeping with the rhythm of her heartbeat, he felt an overwhelming sense of guilt. He was still furious with her for lying to him, for playing him for a fool, but he did not want to take her life. How could he have done this? No matter how Emily had wronged him, it did not justify his actions.

Daniel felt her hand on his then. He flinched, startled by her touch. She was awake, gasping slightly, and seemed to be rather disoriented as her eyes searched the room and then turned to him. "Where am I?" She asked in a whisper.

"You're in the hospital."

His response only seemed to puzzle her. "Why?"

"You don't remember?" He tentatively questioned.

"I don't remember...anything." She was becoming more panicked by the second causing him to furrow his brow. "Please tell me. Who am I?"

Daniel swallowed deeply. Did Emily really not remember who she was? He studied her for a moment in disbelief, but she was a little too convincing to not believe her. She shifted uncomfortably in the bed due to her wounds, the wounds he had caused. There was the guilt again. She looked utterly frightened and desperate as she pleaded with her eyes for answers. Finally, Daniel spoke, "You're...you're Emily. You're my wife."

"We're married?"

"Yes. I'm Daniel. Daniel Grayson." He waited for her face to show some sign of recognition, but none came. Emily looked away as she continued to slightly writhe in pain.

"What happened to me?"

"You... were shot."

"Who shot me?"

"They're still trying to figure that out." It was true. The police were investigating the unsolved crime. Daniel just failed to mention that he knew the answer to her question. He cleared his throat, wishing his mind would follow suit. "You...you should get some rest. We can talk later."

"Please don't leave me," Emily begged, grabbing his hand. Daniel had never seen her look so helpless. He was accustomed to the strong and independent woman he thought he knew.

"I'm not going anywhere," he promised as he forced himself to lean down and kiss her forehead. This seemed to soothe her and she closed her eyes. Daniel watched as she drifted off to sleep, and then took a seat in the chair beside her bed. He was an innocent man as far as Emily was concerned. That is, as long as she didn't remember.

He began to drift off to sleep as well, having barely slept within the last forty-eight hours. It was his mother's voice that woke him hours later. "Is there any change?" Victoria asked as she stood erect in a red suite and black heels. Daniel felt stiff and his neck was hurting from sleeping in such an awkward position all night. "I'm sorry to wake you, but the nurse said you'd been like that for quite some time."

"It's fine. And yes, there has been a change. Emily regained consciousness last night, but she doesn't remember... anything."

"She has amnesia?" Suspicion lined Victoria's voice.

"I spoke with her doctor during the night, and apparently, it's not an uncommon occurrence given the oxygen depletion she suffered." Daniel stood and ushered Victoria to a corridor in the hospital where they could speak privately. She noticed her son's deflation, and assumed it was due to his seemingly unceasing adoration of Emily. Though she loathed his choice of a wife, Victoria attempted to offer him comfort.

"Daniel, I'm sure it's upsetting to you that Emily doesn't remember who you are..."

"That's the least of my concerns right now, Mom." She was surprised at his curt response, but remained silent. Daniel paused, closing his eyes. "I shot her. I shot and nearly killed my own wife." Most mothers would have been horrified by such an admission, but not Victoria. She took in smooth stride.

"You overhead us on the deck, didn't you?"

"Yes. I didn't have any intentions of harming her, I swear. I just wanted answers."

"Where did the gun come from then?"

"I don't know. I was drunk...and angry."

"Of course you were angry. You had every reason to be." Victoria's understanding tone only elicited agitation for Daniel did not want any excuses made for his vile actions.

"It doesn't justify what I did!"

"This is Emily's fault, Daniel."

"No, Mom. It's her fault for lying, but this...this is on me."

Seeing that she was not going to win the argument, Victoria decided to change the course of the conversation. "Did the doctor say when she might regain her memory?"

"It could be a matter or hours, weeks, months...years. There's no way of knowing just yet." Daniel could tell the wheels were turning in Victoria's mind as she processed what he was saying which was never a good sign. "Mom?"

Victoria looked at him stoically. "You know what you have to do then."

He nodded. "I'm going to confess."

"No. You're going to give the performance of your life."

"What?"

"As far as Emily's concerned, you're a happily married couple. And you're just the loving husband who has been devastated by this almost tragic event."


	2. Chapter One: Recollections

**Chapter One**

The room in which she awakened was serene. From it walls covered in a tranquil blue down to the trinkets disbursed throughout, its elegance was apparent, and certainly a far cry from the white walls of the hospital. Emily inched upwards in the bed to fully view her unfamiliar surroundings. "Oh good, you're awake."

Emily squinted at the raven haired woman standing poised at the foot of her bed. She knew this woman was Victoria, her mother-in law, and though Victoria had only spoken kind words each time she had seen her, Emily couldn't discount the unsettling feeling she experienced in her presence. "Where am I?"

"We thought you'd be more comfortable recovering here. We've hired a private nurse, and of course, have our regular staff here as well." Victoria's wistfully forced smile spread across her porcelain face and Emily struggled for something to say. Anything.

"I don't want to be a burden." She finally replied, softly pursing her lips in attempt to mask the fact that she wanted to scream.

"Nonsense. We take care of our family." Victoria added another smooth smile for punctuation before turning on her high-heeled shoes and walking towards the large window on the opposite side of the room. "I'm going to open the curtains so that you don't feel like you're in a dungeon, but we do need to mindful of the press. When they hear of your release from the hospital, they'll be surrounding the place."

Emily felt like she was a caged bird on display. Of course, since awakening without her memory, she had been told of the Grayson's social status, and therefore, the public interest they drew. Nonetheless, it felt new to Emily, and therefore, made her quite uncomfortable.

"Where's Daniel?" Emily asked, grasping for some sense of normalcy. And as if on cue, she heard his voice from the doorway.

"I'm right here." He moved towards the bed, and Emily felt relieved to see him, and ultimately, to be rescued from Victoria's scrutinizing stare. "Mom, do you mind if I have a minute with Emily?"

"Of course not, darling. I'll leave you two alone." Victoria gracefully exited the room, sending chills down Emily's spine. What was it about her that was so troubling? Daniel took a seat on the edge of the bed, unsure of what he was going to say. Emily spoke before he even had a chance to think.

"Do we... live...with your parents?" Daniel couldn't help from emitting a small laugh at her question accompanied by the slightly disturbed expression on her face. It was the first time Emily had seen him smile, and she noted he had a beautiful one at that.

"No. No, you...well, we, own a house just down the beach."

"Did we buy it to be close to your parents?" _Did she really like her in-laws in her former life_, she wondered? Granted, she had not had much interaction with her father-in law, but Victoria's icy exterior was enough to make Emily hope for news that they were not fond of one another. How could she be close with someone like that?

"No, you bought it a couple of years ago."

Relieved again by his response, Emily began her petition, "Then I think I would much rather be recovering there with you and not here." Her entire being held a certain gentleness now that Daniel noticed had been missing from the version of her he had married. Why had she felt the need to withhold it? He averted his eyes, feeling uncomfortable. It was difficult for him to be cold when she was being so genuine. It was abundantly clear that Emily simply wanted to be with him. Wasn't that what he had always wanted?

"I think it's best...you stay here for a while. This house does offer much more privacy and protection. And we have a staff here who can attend to your every need while I'm at work."

Emily nodded, feeling trapped and defeated. "At Voulez?" Her pitch tipped at the end as she sought confirmation, recalling a conversation she'd had in the hospital with his sister, Charlotte.

"That's right." Daniel took in the natural beauty of her face for a moment. Being near her like this was almost suffocating. He was becoming increasingly overwhelmed with guilt, anger and the pure confusion of his own emotions towards her. Emily was sitting before him, completely ignorant of her transgressions and innocently seeking answers, and perhaps, even love from him. Daniel simply could not give either to her right now. "Listen, I need to...get to work. I want you to continue to rest."

"Okay," she breathed as he placed a kiss to her forehead. Emily closed her eyes at the sensation, wishing it would last longer. Though Daniel was still a stranger, she knew he was supposed to be the person in which she was the closest, and she wanted to experience the comfort of having him nearby for more than a few minutes. It was puzzling to her why he was continuing to place such a distance between them. Had she done something wrong? She needed answers. Charlotte interrupted her thoughts, and Emily smiled warmly, pleased to see the energized brunette.

Charlotte had been only one to be openly kind and forthcoming thus far. They exchanged pleasantries as Charlotte sat down on the bed with an almost mischievous grin. Emily quickly surmised that if she hoped to gain any information, it would have to come from Charlotte for now. So she proceeded with the most pressing question on her mind. "Charlotte...were Daniel and I in love? I mean...was he in love with me?"

"Absolutely. Daniel has practically worshiped you from the first moment you met. Why?"

"He has been very distant, and I'm just trying to figure out why."

"This has been really traumatic. I'm sure he's just sorting through everything." Charlotte excused. It was plausible, but Emily knew there must be more to it.

"Maybe. I just wish I could remember..." she sighed, "anything."

"I know... which is why I brought some things for you," Charlotte said with a smile, retrieving the contents from the bag she had brought. The first was a cream colored box, and when Emily opened it, she found that it contained pictures from her wedding to Daniel.

Emily smiled. "Charlotte, this is great, thank you. How did you get them so fast? I know it hasn't been that long since the wedding."

"I have my ways," she proudly replied as Emily began looking through the stills.

"We look happy."

"You were. And you were a stunning bride."

"Thanks."

After a few minutes passed of viewing the captured moments, Charlotte handed Emily what looked to be a brown leather book. "Here. This is a scrapbook you started the summer you and Daniel met. I thought it might be helpful to see more pictures and to read some of the things you wrote."

Emily was touched. The little things now meant so much to her. She was desperate to have an inclination as to who she was in her past and the life she led, to have a sense of her identity. "Wow, thank you. This means more than you know."

"That picture was taken the first day you two met. You spilled your drink on Daniel's jacket," Charlotte explained with an amused smile when Emily turned to the first page.

Emily snickered, trying to imagine the moment. "Really? How embarrassing."

"Daniel told me he never had that jacket cleaned... That he wanted to remember that unpredictable moments can change your life, if you're ready. He proposed to you in that same suite, on that same yacht. It was so romantic."

"It sounds perfect."

Charlotte noted the hint of sadness in Emily's voice and frowned. "You're going to remember, Emily. I'm sure of it."

"I hope so." Emily sighed, forcing a slight smile. "Who wouldn't want to remember such a beautiful life?" Neither Emily nor Charlotte were aware how inaccurate a description that was.

* * *

When Daniel returned home that night and went to obligatorily check on Emily, he found her asleep on top of the covers, the room lit by lamplight. The scrapbook she had been reviewing had fallen to her side and caught his attention. Gingerly, he removed it from under her fingertips and began to look through it.

Emily had previously filled many of its pages with pictures taken over the course of their time together along with various poems that "reminded her of him". Daniel closed his eyes, his mind returning to the night she had given him the book as his birthday present.

"_On the night of our first date, you recited an Oliver Wendell Holmes poem to me, do you remember?" Emily asked as they sat on the bench at the foot of her bed. Daniel looked up from admiring the first picture they had taken together. _

"_Where we love is home. Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." Her voice joined him in to finish the quote in unison, both wearing an adoring smile. _

"_Well, ever since that night, I've been collecting poems that remind me of you. I know it hasn't been very long, but...you already feel like home to me." Moved and at a loss for words, he lovingly kissed her. Emily immediately reciprocated, and they made love before their guests arrived for the evening to celebrate Daniel's birthday with a clambake on the beach. _

Daniel released a silent, heavy breath, glancing at Emily's sleeping figure. He vividly recalled the love he had felt for her in that moment when she had uttered what he believed were heartfelt words. Had it really all been a lie? Surely, that moment of perfection between them had been as pure as it had felt at the time. He could at least hope.

* * *

"I saw your statement to the press. Very convincing. If didn't know better, I'd say you were quite a devoted husband," Victoria glibly complimented as she strode into the living room of Grayson Manor to join her son. Daniel was standing with a cup of cup of coffee in hand, taking in the the view of their palatial backyard, though not really appreciating what it had to offer. He sliced his eyes at his mother, disgusted by the smug expression lighting her face as she sipped her own coffee.

"It's what you wanted, isn't it?" He flatly replied to which Victoria placed her coffee cup in its accompanying saucer with purpose and shifted her stance to face him.

"What I want is for you to remain protected and to not be punished for Emily's transgressions."

"The transgressions she has no recollection of committing."

"Which she _could _remember at any time along with the fact that you were her shooter. That is why it is of the utmost importance for you to appear an innocent bystander in this nightmare."

Daniel shook his head at the insanity of the situation. "I'm far from innocent."

"You're also far away from Emily. Don't think I haven't noticed that you've barely been spending any time with her."

"That's because I can hardly stand to be with her, Mom. All I can think about when I look at her is how she lied to me and how I nearly killed her. The guilt I feel is consuming me."

"You're going to need to put your emotions aside, Daniel. Your future depends on it." Victoria's cold determination never ceased to amaze him. Daniel shook his head again as she left the room. Unbelievable.

"Good morning," Charlotte greeted from behind causing Daniel to turn around.

"Charlotte, hi. What brings you by?"

"I came to check on Emily, of course. How is she today?"

"I don't know. I haven't seen her."

"You haven't seen her? Daniel, it's nearly noon. What is going on with you?"

"Nothing. I've just been letting her rest," he lied rather unconvincingly. He set his cup on the coffee table and took a seat on the plush sofa. Charlotte joined him, ready to plead her case.

"Daniel, I've been spending a lot of time with Emily. She wants so badly to remember, and most of all, she wants to remember you. And... I can tell she wants to go home."

"It just makes more sense for her to recover here with the staff and all."

"Okay, I can understand that, but you can have the private nurse come to the beach house instead. I think Emily would have a much nicer recovery there and a stronger chance of remembering her past. You and I both know how claustrophobic this big house can feel." When Daniel didn't respond, Charlotte continued, " I just don't understand why you're not spending any time with her."

"It's complicated, okay?"

"So make it simple. Take her home. Take her to the beach house where you made good memories together. Love her, Daniel."

He began to shake his head fervently. "Charlotte, you don't know what she's done."

His words would not cause her to falter though. "It doesn't matter. Whatever it is... I know you two can work through it. The slate has been wiped clean. Daniel, you've been given the chance to fall in love with each other again. Do you have any idea what I would give to have another chance with Declan?" That struck a cord. Daniel looked into his sister's passionate filled eyes and his countenance began to soften.

"You really miss him, don't you?" Regretfully, he knew he had not supported her enough in her grief.

"Everyday." Charlotte appreciated the sympathy she found reflecting in Daniel's eyes despite it being belated. Perhaps, they had reached some form of an understanding. Deciding she had said her piece for the moment, she left him to his thoughts. She could visit Emily later. He sat completely still for quite some time, unable to move. Maybe Charlotte was right. Maybe he should take Emily back to the beach house. It might not be the wisest decision, but the thought of continuing to live life they way that had since the wedding was almost toxic.

Daniel crossed the living room and climbed the winding staircase to the hall which led to Emily's room. He found her wearing a long yellow dress as she sat on the bed, reading. She looked up from her book upon hearing his footsteps stop in the doorway.

"Daniel," she softly greeted, almost surprised to see him.

"Hi, Em."

"I saw you on the News this morning. Thank you for what you said." Daniel only nodded, unable to muster a response for her compliment of the lies he had told the press.

"_My wife and I appreciate your concern, but she is now home recovering, and we ask for privacy during this difficult time. It is a miracle Emily has survived and I cannot express how grateful I am, but unfortunately, she has sustained significant memory loss as a result of her injuries and cannot speak to the events of that horrific night. I speak on her behalf today, and I will not rest until justice has been served for this vile crime..." _

"Daniel?" Emily's voice drew him back to the present moment. "You seem a million miles away."

Daniel paused, looking at her inquisitive expression. He made a decision then. "Would you feel like going for a walk with me?"

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much for the comments on the Prologue. They are the reason I wrote this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and would love to read your thoughts. :)**


	3. Chapter Two: Regrets

**Chapter Two**

The warm sunlight felt pleasant against her skin, and the sand beneath her bare feet, felt equally as such. Of course, Emily had no actual memories of ever being outdoors, but it was instinctively familiar. The sound of the cascading waves of the ocean was calming, giving her a sense of peace she had not felt since awakening without a trace of her past.

Daniel was walking silently in her stride, wondering if he had made a grave mistake in suggesting their outing and destination. When his mother made the discovery of their departure from Grayson Manor though, she would be furious. This thought pleased him. "It's nice to be outside," Emily commented, breaking the silence.

"Well, you love to swim in the ocean and go for jogs on the beach."

Emily smiled softly, appreciating any information she could glean. It did not matter how small or seemingly insignificant. "That's good to know. What else do I like to do?"

"Uh...you're pretty much good at everything. You like to cook; you play tennis; you speak several languages, just to name a few." Those were some of the many things Daniel had always admired about her. In fact, he had yet to find something in which she did not excel. "You're kind of intimidating, actually."

Emily liked the way his face scrunched slightly when making a humorous expression which caused her to emit a tiny laugh. "I feel like the least intimidating person on the planet, right now."

And there it was. That ever recurring feeling of guilt began rising within Daniel again. After all, he was the reason her memory had been erased. Emily was handling it quite well which was, no doubt, a testament to her inner strength. It was nice to know that part of her was, indeed real, in a time when he questioned whether or not the woman he had loved actually existed. Somehow despite his anger, Daniel found himself desperately holding onto any truth in her he could find. "I'm sorry...I can't imagine how hard it must be to not know who you are."

Emily did not speak, but instead looked at him with an appreciative glint in her eyes. They had now reached the beach house, and she stood still for a moment, taking in the view of their home. Instantly, she felt a deep connection to it. Daniel waited patiently for her to absorb her surroundings and quietly walked behind her as she led herself throughout the first floor of the house. None of it looked familiar to her, but there was a sense in her heart that she was where she belonged.

"Do you recognize anything?" Daniel tentatively asked after minutes of silence had passed, uncertain what answer he hoped to receive. It served him well for Emily to not remember anything, but there was a part of him that almost wanted her to remember, for her own sake.

She shook her head, serenity lighting her brown eyes. "No. But it feels really right."

"I'm glad." He forced a smile.

"I'd like to go upstairs."

Daniel nodded. "I just...don't want you to over-do it."

"I'm okay," Emily assured, and then felt his fingers wrap around the crook of her arm to offer support as they began to climb the stairs. It was one of the few times he had touched her, and it was nice. When they came to the master bedroom, Daniel stopped in the doorway while Emily slowly took in, yet another, unfamiliar room.

Everything was perfectly in its place, she noted. She looked at her expensive clothes hanging in the closet and her perfumes neatly arranged on the bathroom counter. Her eyes then landed on an ornate jewelry box and a thought suddenly came to her mind. Looking down at her left hand, she realized she was not wearing her wedding ring. How had she not noticed it before?

"Daniel, where's my wedding ring? Was it lost?" Emily asked, returning to the bedroom to find he had not budged. It was the first time he had been back in the beach house since the entire nightmare had begun, and it was slightly rattling to him, especially being in this particular room with her where their most intimate moments had been shared.

"I have it, don't worry."

"Oh, good." Emily sat down on the bench at the foot of the bed, relieved. She had already lost so much of her identity. She did not want to lose anything else even if it were a material item. "I'd like to have it back."

"Of course. It's in the safe at the main house, but I'll bring it to you." She took a long look at her husband. Everything was so polite and formal with him. Surely, this was not how they had always lived.

"Daniel?" Emily paused, unsure if she wanted to continue. "Do you... think I'm...pretty?"

He furrowed his brow, not expecting such a question from her. "Why would you ask that?"

"I don't know." Emily's chin fell insecurely with her eyes following to her lap. "It's just...you don't...seem...to want to be near me. I just thought maybe...you weren't attracted to me anymore, or something had happened to change your feelings for me."

She lifted her questioning eyes to him again. Eyes that were seeking acceptance from him, but even more so, just an honest answer. Daniel swallowed, unsure of how to respond. He did not want to verbalize any of his feelings towards her, good or bad, but Emily's new-found innocence was becoming slightly disarming to him. Besides, how could he not answer her? The more he withheld, the more questions she was going to ask.

_Did he think she was pretty?_ Truth was, for all the hatred Daniel felt, he could not deny her innate beauty which still called to him. He was almost certain he hated her for that too.

"No, Emily, I think you are..." Daniel paused, searching for the right words to express himself, "absolutely magnificent." His sentence ended in a whisper, his eyes sincere for the first time since their wedding night.

Emily felt her stomach flip. She had never seen him look at her in the way that he was now. It was a look of admiration and love. Daniel felt it as well, but it was too much to bear for any length of time. The anger he felt towards her could only be suppressed for a short period before it began bubbling up again. Daniel cleared his throat, breaking their gaze. "I'm going to go send for your things." He turned and left before Emily could say anything. His actions continued to puzzle her, but she was encouraged by the fact he had shown emotion. It was a start at repairing her life, or at least, she hoped.

Daniel sat in his car for a long moment before starting the engine. His world had spiraled out of control to the point he did not even know who he was anymore or what he wanted. With having already requested some of the staff to deliver Emily's belongings to the beach house, he knew he needed to tend to some of his other unfinished business.

As he drove away from the Hamptons, he continued the battle within his mind. If Emily never regained her memory, was he willing to continue with this lie? Could he actually commit the rest of his life to living this way? Would she be willing to go on with things as they were? Not likely. Emily was going to need more from him than just words of affirmation. And then there was Sarah.

Her front door swung open with annoyance at his incessant knocking several minutes later. "Danny, what are you doing here?" She questioned, her annoyance continuing to grow.

Daniel leaned against the door frame, feeling burdened by the enormity of the entire situation. "You wouldn't return any of my calls. I needed to talk with you. I needed to see that you were okay."

"Well, I'm fine. Goodbye."

His hand caught the door before she could close it in his face. "Sarah, please. I know you almost...well..." Her eyes narrowed as she tried to determine what Daniel was insinuating. From his tragic expression, Sarah quickly realized he thought her recent accident had not been an accident at all.

"Wait...you think I tried to kill myself?" She released a scoff, shaking her head. "How pathetic do you think I am? Danny, I love you, but I'm not willing to lose my life over you. I just had too much to drink and fell asleep in the bathtub."

"Oh." He blinked several times as if the motion would somehow clear his clouded emotions. It didn't work. He felt horrible and conflicted, but relieved that Sarah had not tried to take her own life. "I'm just...so... sorry about all of this."

"How's Emily? Does she really have memory loss?" Sarah asked, changing the subject.

Daniel sighed. "She doesn't remember anything."

Sarah slowly nodded, fully assessing the circumstances. "Go home to your wife. Emily's the one you chose."

"I just...can't leave her now," Daniel excused, for what reason, he was not sure.

"Of course not." Sarah whispered, forcing a dignified smile. "It's okay, Danny... you don't have to keep worrying about me. You don't have to love me anymore." The tears she had been withholding now spilled onto her cheeks, and Daniel felt defeated and at a loss for words. He should never have rekindled their relationship. He was not free to do so then, and he certainly was not free now. Perhaps, he and Emily deserved each other. They were both capable of evil and Sarah was good. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek then, resigning herself to the fact she had to let him go. "Please...please leave me alone."

* * *

Daniel found himself standing in the bedroom doorway again, watching Emily closing the shutters for the night. Unbeknownst to her, she was wearing her favorite night gown. Its light gray satin fabric hung perfectly on her slim figure. "Em, I'm home," he said gently, not wanting to startle her from behind. She slowly turned to face him with a wistful smile. Solitude was not her preference these days.

"I was wondering where you were." Ignoring the imposed question, he cleared his throat, which was becoming a nervous gesture he realized, and began walking towards her.

"I stopped by the main house on my way home...got this out of the safe." He lifted the ring box for her viewing. The last thing Daniel wanted to do was put the ring, that had once held such promise, back on her finger. Nevertheless, he knew Emily would not understand if he did not. She smiled appreciatively. "Thank you. Open it, please." Hesitantly, he obeyed and waited as she took in the view of it sparkling before for her. It, of course, seemed like the first time to her.

"Oh, Daniel..." She breathed, bringing her hand to her chest. "It's so beautiful."

"I'm glad you still like it."

"Of course, I do. It's perfect." She smiled again, presumably holding out her left hand. Daniel forced himself to remove the ring from the box and slip it on her slender finger. He felt awkward yet again, but tried not to show it. Being with Emily had always been so natural, and now, he was struggling to hide his true emotions and feign his former.

"It's late. You should get some rest."

It was evident to Emily that Daniel did not want to let her in at the moment. Whatever part of him she had witnessed that afternoon was now closed. Why did he feel the need to shut her out? Rather than press the issue though, she decided to brush it off. "Yes, I am kind of tired," Emily agreed and walked over to the bed. "I'm going to read for a little while."

"Okay, I'm going to take a shower," he replied, disappearing from the room.

When he emerged from the bathroom twenty minutes later, he found Emily had fallen asleep while reading. Daniel turned off the bedroom lights and was about to turn off the nightstand lamp when she stirred. "Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," he apologized.

"It's okay. I must have just dozed off."

"Go back to sleep. I'll see you in the morning."

Emily reached for his hand. "Daniel... please stay with me tonight. I don't want to be alone." If she were aware of what she had done, it would seem like a just punishment for her to experience loneliness. But being that she was completely unaware of her sins, Daniel decided it would be cruel to not grant her request. He nodded, conceding. Emily smiled, seemingly relieved, which only made him feel even guiltier. Daniel walked to the other side of the bed and slid under the covers, turning out the final lamp as he did so.

It had never felt so strange to be lying next to her, he thought to himself. If she only understood how difficult this was. However, just like with the ring, Daniel knew he had to act somewhat normally, or else Emily would only continue to grow suspicious. And so he cautiously draped his arm over her waist. It was how they had fallen asleep together every night since the first time they'd made love. Sure, Emily did not know that, but like with so many things, he thought it would be instinctively familiar.

Daniel felt her body almost shiver against his. "Is this okay?" He questioned in a whisper, it suddenly occurring to him she might not feel comfortable sleeping in his arms. She had only asked him to _stay_ with her.

"It feels really nice, actually," she whispered back, nestling closer to him. She paused in the darkness. "This is how we always slept... isn't it?"

"Yes," he confirmed, willing himself to relax. He needed to do this for her tonight. Be with her.

"Good."

If Daniel could focus on who Emily was now, innocent and vulnerable, it would make it much easier to pretend they were happy. In the moonlight, Daniel could see that her eyes had closed. She looked peaceful. Was it possible that he hated and loved her at the same time?

* * *

"Daniel?... Daniel?" He could hear Emily's voice hovering, calling him to awaken from his slumber. Even in his sleep, he could tell something was not right.

"What's wrong?" Daniel asked, sitting up quickly.

"I'm bleeding." He then noticed that her hand was covered in blood and looked down at her abdomen to find that her wounds had bled through her nightgown.

"Oh, God...some of your stitches must have come out in your sleep. I'll call for the nurse." He reached for his cell phone on the nightstand and made the brief phone call. "Let's go to the bathroom and get the bleeding under control," he suggested, jumping out of the bed. Emily nodded in agreement as Daniel helped her to the bathroom. She took a seat on the edge of the bathtub while Daniel crouched down to look in the cabinets under the sink for the first aid kit.

Emily smiled to herself at the sight of him in his boxers, a gray T-shirt and disheveled hair. He he had not a clue how cute he looked. It occurred to her then that she would need to remove her gown in order to tend to her wounds. Emily paused, unsure of what would be appropriate. She did not feel comfortable undressing in front him, and yet, she knew he had probably seen her countless times.

So, she began to slip the thin straps of her gown from her shoulders and was in the process of lowering it from her body when Daniel turned to face her. His breath caught in his throat at the sight of her, but he made his best attempt not to react. She _was_ his wife.

It was the first time had seen her wounds though, the wounds he had caused. They looked rather painful and the guilt he had previously felt paled to what he felt now. How could he have done this to her? He felt like a monster. It didn't matter how Emily had wronged him. What he had done was despicable. She was the person he had loved more than anyone, and he had to find a way to make amends for this.

Emily watched Daniel gently press the gauze to her wounds and tape them to her skin. He then took a wet cloth and again, gently, wiped away the excess blood. He glanced up at her. She was looking at him in grateful silence. "I'm so sorry, Em," he whispered, causing her brow to furrow in confusion.

"It's not your fault, Daniel." _Oh, but it was._ In a few lousy seconds, he had made the worst decision of his life.

"I just...feel really badly this happened to you." He began gathering the contents of the first aid kit to put it away, not wanting to have to look her in the eye for fear she might see right through him. "The nurse will be here soon. I'll get you a change of clothes."

* * *

"I just heard from Charlotte that Daniel's moved Emily back to the beach house," Jack announced to Nolan and Aiden immediately after letting himself into Nolan's house, and finding them playing poker to pass the time.

"That's good. She's a least reachable now," Aiden replied, not looking up from his hand of cards.

"Yeah, and I think we should go over there," Jack said anxiously, worried about Emily's well being. Between seeing her in the hospital in such a vulnerable state and not knowing which party on the yacht had shot her, his mind had been consumed with concern.

"It's not like we can just waltz over there like the three stooges and say, "Ems, the Graysons are not your family...we are. I'm sure that will go over well," Nolan reminded, folding. He too, was worried about Emily and frustrated by the situation. They all were.

"I agree that all of us would be too much, but I do think one of us should go talk with her," Jack replied.

Aiden sat back in his chair. "Well, I'm obviously not the candidate seeing as how I tried to kidnap her from the hospital, in her in mind."

"Nolan, you should go," Jack suggested. Nolan was her best friend and confidant. It made sense.

"As much as I want to see Ems, I think it would probably be the most effective for you to talk with her Jack," Nolan countered, believing it whole-hardheartedly. She and Jack had the longest bond. Maybe he could bring her back to them.

* * *

**A/N: Thank you so much to those who left reviews for the previous chapter! I very much liked reading your thoughts and would love to hear your feedback on this installment.** **:)**


	4. Chapter Three: Weakness

**A/N: Sorry that it has taken me so long to update this fic. Due to time constraints, I'm only able to update one each week, if that. Thank you for your feedback on my previous chapter, and I hope you like this one! Note, this chapter does contain Jack/Emily interaction as well because I think it keeps it realistic to how scenes might have been between been on the show. This ultimately is a Demily fic though. :)**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Solitude had once been Emily's preferred way to spend time, but now being left alone to her own thoughts seemed almost suffocating. It was rather strange to feel as though her memory was a blank canvas, only dating back two weeks prior. She hoped Daniel would be home soon to relieve her from the quietness. Even though he was most often reserved, the familiarity of his presence had become comforting.

There was a light knock on the back door, and Emily was pleasantly surprised to find Jack Porter standing on the other side. He began speak as she opened the door, unsure as to how she would react. "Do you remember me? I'm Jack Porter...I came to see you in the hospital," He said, almost nervously. Emily sympathetically smiled, recognizing that her memory loss was hard on her friends as well.

"I remember you. My short term memory is working just fine. It's my long term that's the issue," She joked with a pleasant smile continuing to line her face to which Jack returned. Emily slowly moved over to the porch swing with Jack following suit.

"Nolan sends his best. He wanted to come, but didn't want to bombard you."

"Ah, yes...he's the tall guy with the cool clothes who hung around my hospital room day and night," Emily recalled with the smallest laugh. Jack smiled again, thinking of their unique friend.

"Nolan is one of a kind, that's for sure. And he'd do pretty much anything for you."

"Charlotte showed me my wedding pictures, and I noticed he was the one to walk me down the aisle."

Though the thought of Emily's wedding day made Jack cringe, but he tried his best not to let on. To Emily, her wedding to Daniel was real, not a farce. "Yeah, you two are like family."

"And what about you and me?" She asked softly, turning her head to look at him. "Even though I don't remember, there is something... really familiar about you."

_Amanda_ was still in there, Jack thought to himself with relief. Memory or not, their connection remained. "Well, we've been friends a long time. You're my son's godmother."

Emily was pleased to find out she had been bestowed such an honor. It gave her more of a sense of her identity, and also a hope that she must have done something right in her past. "Really? That's wonderful to hear. Am I close with your wife too?"

Jack's eyes fell to his lap. He was unprepared for such a question, although, it really should not have come by surprise. He began to nod his head in affirmation. "You were, yes. She uh...she actually died last year."

"Oh Jack...I'm so sorry," Emily breathed, feeling terrible for bringing up such a sensitive subject.

"It's okay. You didn't know."

"Was she sick?"

"No, no...there was a boat explosion. She didn't get out of the way in time." His eyes returned to Emily's as he relived the painful event. "You... saved my life and... tried to save her's. I don't...really want to get into it right now, but someday...we can talk about it more."

Emily nodded at Jack's reasonable response. There was something very gentle about him when he spoke to her, she noticed. "How was I even able to do that?" She questioned, seriously doubting that she had ever been a heroine. Helpless was all she felt these days.

Jack paused, his eyes washing over her in admiration. "Because you're you." They looked at one another for a long moment in silence. It was then that Daniel arrived home, and upon seeing Jack and Emily sitting on the swing together, stiffened. "Daniel," Emily cheerily greeted, trying to recover from Jack's words.

"Hi, Em." Daniel looked at his enemy pointedly. "Jack."

"Grayson."

Jealously began to rise within Daniel. Despite his conflicted feelings towards Emily, he did not want Jack near her. He had enough problems to contend with as it was. "Am I interrupting something?"

"Nope, just came by to check on Emily, but I should get going," Jack replied as he stood while Emily remained seated.

"Thanks for stopping by, Jack," Emily said softly. She could tell Daniel was not particularly pleased by Jack's presence, for what reason, she was not certain. However, she had thoroughly enjoyed his visit.

"Of course." Jack forced a smile, and then began to leave.

Emily's voice stopped him when he was on the porch steps. "Hey, Jack?... I'd really love to see my godson some time."

Her request brought a smile to his face, and he gave a nod over his shoulder. "I'll bring him over soon, and you're always welcome to come by the Stowaway." Emily did not know where the Stowaway was located, but assumed it must be nearby. Jack had mentioned when he visited her at the hospital that he both owned it and lived there.

"Thanks, and please tell Nolan he's welcome anytime."

"I will." Once Jack was gone, Daniel sat down next to Emily on the swing, trying to sort out all that was running through his head. If he no longer wanted her, then why would it matter to him if she were sharing a close moment with another man?

"Do you have a problem with Jack? I noticed the tension between you two."

Daniel shrugged. "I just don't...trust the guy, that's all."

"Why is that?"

"It's nothing worth talking about."

"Obviously it's something, Daniel. I want to know the truth. Please just tell me," She gently pleaded.

Daniel sighed, deciding to be honest with her. Their past did not need to be a secret. "We haven't exactly... had the smoothest relationship, Em. I've hurt you, you've hurt me. I don't want to lie and pretend it has been a perfect." Emily sat with baited breath, wanting desperately to hear the truth even if it weren't positive. Daniel continued, his eyes moving to the landscape ahead. "We broke off our engagement at one point... and were apart for several months. Our engagement was off to a rocky start for reasons I will explain later, but..." His voice trailed off. Maybe reliving the past was a bad idea.

"But what?" Emily urged.

Daniel sighed again, not wanting to make her feel remorseful for something which now seemed almost insignificant. "I found out Jack was here one night and you kissed him. And when I confronted you about it...you didn't deny it and...ended up giving me back the ring."

Emily processed in silence, stung by what Daniel was saying. She had obviously been selfish and hurt him. "And you found it in your heart to forgive me?" She questioned in a whisper, holding a new-found respect for him.

Daniel didn't want her respect though, or to be made out to be someone admirable. There was nothing admirable about what he had ultimately done to her. "When it was all said and done...there really wasn't anything to forgive."

"Why?" Emily asked, wanting to know more.

Daniel rewound his mind back to the time in which their reunion meant more to him than anything. It was the only way he was able to have such a conversation with her. There it was again suddenly, the look of love reflecting in his eyes. His hatred could not erase how he had once felt. "Because being with you meant more to me than any few minutes you spent with Jack."

* * *

Emily entered the Stowaway contemplatively taking in her surroundings of the tavern filled with a light crowd. Nolan was seated on one of the bar stools from which he nearly fell upon seeing her. "Ems...hi." He stood and walked over to her.

"Hello, Nolan." Her eyes smiled as she spoke, a warmth emitting from her which he was un-accustomed. Perhaps, this was the person Jack knew as a child. "Do we...normally... hug?" Emily awkwardly asked.

Nolan shook his head, amused at the thought. "Uh... not really, no. You're not...really the..._hugging_ type."

"Oh." This seemed to puzzle her, but she quickly recovered.

"So, I assume you're here to see Jack?"

"Yes. I was hoping to spend a little bit of time with my godson."

"Ah. Well, Jack's upstairs with Carl now. You should go on up," Nolan encouraged and Emily nodded, still feeling slightly uncomfortable. It was difficult for her to act at ease with people who were her friends, but still felt like strangers. She climbed the winding staircase to the Stowaway's humble living quarters and found Jack on the floor with Carl. Her presence caught him off guard, and he quickly rose to his feet.

"Emily, hi."

Digging her hands in the pockets of her jeans, she offered a smile. "Hi, Jack. I hope it's okay to be dropping by unannounced like this."

"Of course. Please have a seat."

"This is Carl, I take it?" She asked with a smile as she sat down on the old sofa.

"It is, indeed." Jack replied, picking up Carl from the floor and placing him on Emily's lap.

"Hi, Carl," She said in a sweet tone, feeling calmed by him. Carl glanced up at her, seemingly content to be on her lap, but was more preoccupied with the toy he held in his small hands. Emily looked down at him fondly, her thoughts drifting.

"What're you thinking about?" Jack quietly asked, causing her to look at him.

"The innocence of a child." Emily paused, wondering if she should venture into the touchy subject on her mind. "Jack...can I ask you something sort of... personal?"

He nodded, his brow furrowing. "Sure."

"Daniel told me that... you and I kissed and that...it was the primary cause of our broken engagement. But I know you were married, and you said I was close with your wife so... I guess I'm just trying to make sense of all of it."

Emily was, of course, trying to determine what kind of person she was and understandably so. It had been a long time since Jack had thought about the night of Sammy's death when he had felt closer to her than ever. "Amanda and I weren't married when it happened. We weren't even together at that point. It was...a moment of weakness for both of us, I guess."

"Did we ever..._you know_?"

Jack was confused at first, but then quickly realized from the sheepish expression in her eyes what she was insinuating. "Oh... _that_." He released a nervous breath. He had fantasized about making love to her countless times, but they had always remained just that, a fantasy. "No. It was just the kiss."

Emily nodded, relieved that what she had built up in her mind to be an ongoing affair, truly was only one kiss. "What happened after that?"

"Amanda came back to town unexpectedly. She was pregnant. The rest is history as they say," Jack recollected, looking at Carl for a moment. And not wanting to misrepresent the situation, added, "Please don't get me wrong...I loved her very much."

"Of course," Emily whispered understandingly.

The sound of footsteps climbing the stairs rapidly broke their conversation. Charlotte came rushing in moments later, speaking before looking at her potential audience. "Jack, I'm so sorry I'm late. I know I was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago to watch Carl." It was then that Charlotte realized Emily was there. "Emily, hi. I... wasn't expecting to find you here."

"Hi, Charlotte. I know, I just came by the see Carl," Emily explained.

"Well, now that Carl has two very capable people to watch him, I better get down to the bar to relieve Nolan," Jack said, offering a polite goodbye to Emily and then exiting the room.

Charlotte suggested she and Emily take Carl for a walk on the docks. Emily very much liked the idea and was happy to be out in the fresh air as much as possible. The two walked side by side as Charlotte pushed Carl in his stroller. "How are things with Daniel?" Charlotte asked after they had been walking a few minutes.

"Better. We had a meaningful talk last night, and... he admitted some things to me he'd been holding in. Even though it was hard to hear, I'm glad I now know. And it helps me to understand more of where he's coming from."

"Good, I'm glad." Charlotte was thrilled to hear they had made progress, and that Daniel had opened up. However, she misunderstood what Emily was referencing. It did not help she was, unknowingly, in the dark herself. "And can I just say that you're so brave to come be around little Carl after just finding out about your baby?"

Emily's brow narrowed in confusion from Charlotte's compliment. "What're you talking about?"

Realizing she was mistaken, Charlotte immediately began to back pedal. "Oh gosh...Emily. I'm so sorry. I...I thought that's what you meant Daniel told you. I shouldn't have said anything."

"Well, it's too late now. Charlotte, you have to tell me the truth... Please."

* * *

Emily was sitting in the silence of the living room when Daniel arrived home that evening. "Hey, Em. I picked up take out from your favorite seafood restaurant," He greeted, setting the bags down on the counter. In truth, he much preferred her swordfish, but she had not seemed to be up to to the task of cooking yet, nor was he certain she would even remember how to prepare it. He did not want to broach such a trite subject matter either.

"When were you going to tell me about the baby?" Emily quietly asked. Daniel froze, unsure of what exactly she was referencing and how much she knew. Very slowly, he turned to face her with a tentative expression as she added, "No wonder you've been so distant."

Again, Daniel continued to remain silent, trying determine what version of the truth she had been told. Or had Emily remembered for herself? "Who told you?" He whispered. There, that was a safe question, and did not commit him one way or the other.

"Charlotte...on accident." Of course according to Charlotte, Emily had suffered a miscarriage, being that Charlotte was unaware of the fact Emily had faked her pregnancy in the first place. Daniel breathed a small sigh of relief. He could handle this, but the full truth... no, he was not ready for that.

"Em...I just...didn't think it had been the right time to tell you."

Emily stood and began crossing the room to him, noticeably upset. "Daniel, I lost our baby. I think I had a right to know."

"I'm sorry," He quietly replied, not knowing what else to say given the circumstances.

"And you've been having to go through this alone. This is why you haven't wanted to touch me, isn't it? You're mad at me... aren't you?"

"No, that's not it." She had no idea just how far from the truth it was. The entire situation was utterly twisted and preposterous. How could he convince her he wasn't mad at her when, in actuality, he really was mad, but for a completely different reason? And did he even want her to believe he wasn't resentful?

Daniel looked into Emily's pained eyes where tears had welled. This was real to her. She did not know otherwise. He could not help from feeling compassion towards her now. It was one of those moments again in which his love for her overrode his hatred. "It wasn't your fault, Emily." He moved closer to her, hesitantly bringing his hand to her cheek. "And it's not that I don't want to touch you."

Emily gasped ever so slightly at his touch. Closing her eyes at the sensation, she felt his other join the former so that he was now gently holding her face. Daniel swallowed deeply, wondering if he were about to make a severe mistake. But when Emily opened her eyes again, eyes that were crying out to him, he knew he could no longer resist. And so he kissed her. A kiss that was pensive at first, but soon grew to be passionate. For that brief moment, his sins and her sins were forgotten, and it was just them again, pure and enjoying one another.

Emily's cheeks were flushed when Daniel regretfully pulled back. Had he lost his mind? She was the enemy now. She had betrayed him. Becoming emotionally invested in her in any way was not wise, and yet, seemed unavoidable. Was it remotely possible that Emily was slowly making her way back into his heart, and he was beginning to see her as he once had?


	5. Chapter Four: Restoration

**Chapter Four **

The living room of Grayson Manor had become Daniel's post. From there, he could stand at the back doors and look out to the vast views of their backyard and beyond. Perhaps, he was playing mind games with himself, but it was only there he did not feel as trapped. His expression remained grim though as he thought of his ongoing _predicament_. Having left work early, he stopped by his safe haven, if such a large place could even be called that, prior to returning to the beach house where Emily would be waiting.

As was often the case though, Victoria interrupted his moment of solitude. "Why such a sour face? I would think the fact Lydia Davis is the prime suspect in Emily's shooting should bring you some sense of relief."

Daniel did not look at his mother as she spoke which was customary these days, and responded coldly. "Forgive me if I don't enjoy letting an innocent person take the fall for my crimes, like you and Dad do."

"Bite your tongue," Victoria snipped. "And Lydia may not have shot Emily, but she is far from innocent. Better she take the blame than you."

There was no point in arguing with her so Daniel shifted the subject. "Charlotte accidentally told Emily about the "miscarriage"."

"How did she take it?"

"Well, seeing as how she thinks she really _was_ pregnant, she's been very upset about it." Daniel released a heavy breath and finally looked at Victoria. "I don't know how much longer I can keep up this charade. I feel like the walls are closing in on me. And as if things aren't complicated enough, Jack Porter's been coming around to visit."

"Perhaps, you should take Emily out of town for a while. Get her away from the media and people like Jack Porter and Nolan Ross. No good will come of their time with her."

She was right and Daniel knew it. "That's actually a good idea."

Victoria feigned a smile. "Well, I'm glad we finally agree on something."

* * *

The beach house was empty Daniel arrived home. Emily had not left a note, but being that it was still only late afternoon, she probably thought he would not be home until much later. Stepping back out onto the porch, Daniel began to scan the view before him. His eyes quickly landed on Emily walking in the distance along the beach.

His breath caught slightly at the sight of her long hair and dress blowing gently in the wind. Her beauty seemed inescapable to him. It was maddening.

As Emily walked closer in view, Daniel noticed how lonely she looked, like she had not a friend in the world. His growing sense of compassion towards her was becoming more difficult to resist. Still unaware of his presence, Emily stopped and turned towards the ocean then, crossing her arms in the process. Hesitantly, Daniel decided to go to her and briskly crossed the stretch of sand between them. "There you are," He called as he approached, but Emily barely reacted to the sound of his voice.

Though the kissed they had shared the night prior was wonderful, it had ended abruptly, and Daniel had since recoiled from her emotionally once again. Emily did not know what to think anymore. Finding out she had lost something she did not even know she'd once had, left her feeling empty inside. She was married to a man whom she wanted get to know and love again, but she was losing hope of ever breaking beyond his barriers. "I didn't expect you home so early," She eventually replied.

"I wanted to check on you. How're you feeling?"

"Physically? Stronger every day. Emotionally? Defeated."

"That's not like you, Em." The words rolled out of his without thought, and Daniel instantly regretted them.

"Well, I don't really know what is _like me_, now do I?" Emily snapped, her response catching Daniel off guard. It was the first time she had exhibited anger since awakening without her memory. Immediately realizing the harshness of her tone, she closed her eyes, regaining her composure. "I'm sorry. It's just...to find out that something was alive inside of me, and now it's gone...I just...can't believe anyone could be so cruel." She looked at Daniel, her brow now knitted in anguish. "How could Lydia have done that?"

Despite how wrong it was for Lydia to take the blame, in that moment, Daniel was thankful for it. In reality, an innocent child had not been lost, but shooting Emily, had indeed, been cruel. He feared the day when she would know the truth and look at him with the pain in her eyes she held now, but directed towards his actions alone.

"I - I...I don't know. Sometimes...people do things unexplainable...things they never thought they were capable of doing." Daniel answered reflectively, speaking of himself, though Emily did not recognize it. He cleared his throat to break the moment. "Listen, I was thinking... what do you say we get away for a bit? We never really had a honeymoon. I'll take you anywhere you want to go."

Daniel watched as her mouth puckered in the corner, but her mood remained low in spite of his generosity. "You could turn a girl's head."

"I thought it might be nice to have some time to just relax and be together." Who was he trying to convince? Her or himself?

"Are you sure that's what you want?" Emily asked pointedly. She was tired of his games, whether they were intentional or not. Her emotions were too fragile to be continually yanked around like a yo-yo. Daniel paused thoughtfully. This would be a turning point for them. He was either in or out. If he told her the truth, she would be furious and hurt, but if he were going to continue with the lie, he would need to be committed to it. Maybe it was for his own preservation, or maybe he just wasn't ready to let her go just yet, but he reached a decision.

"I'm sorry I've been so cold. It wasn't fair." Emily cast her eyes to the ocean, Daniel's sincere apology somehow overpowering. "I want to start over with you, Em." He gently grabbed her arm, willing her to look at him. "If you'll let me," Daniel added in a whisper, his brown eyes honest.

Emily only responded with silence, but now her eyes had softened. Finally after several moments, she began to nod every so slightly. Daniel's mouth curved into a smile.

* * *

Of all the places Emily could have chosen, Daniel did not expect a cabin in Colorado. Granted, it was a very nice cabin, but the simplicity of her choice surprised him. Nevertheless, it would offer a great deal of privacy, and there wouldn't be a News crew or photographer for miles.

True to form, Emily had awakened early to watch the sunrise the morning after their arrival. Daniel awakened early as well, and when he wandered into the kitchen, he discovered a freshly brewed pot of coffee with an empty mug waiting for him. After pouring himself a cup, he found Emily sitting on the cabin's porch steps, her own cup of coffee in hand.

"Good morning," Daniel said, joining her. "Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah, it's...really peaceful here. I'm glad we came."

"Me too."

"What about you? Did you sleep well?"

"Fairly well, thanks." Truth was, it was difficult for him to sleep soundly these days. Between the guilt which haunted him and sleeping next to the woman who was supposed to be his enemy, he was fortunate to get any sleep at all. "So...what would you like to do today?"

"I thought it might be fun to go fishing, actually."

Daniel raised his brow, uncomfortable at the thought. "Fishing? Okay..."

Emily smirked in amusement. "What? Don't tell me you've never fished."

"I went deep sea fishing once in college."

"Ah...I forget that you were practically raised as royalty. What about me? Did I go fishing as a child?"

Daniel paused, his smile fading. "I don't know, to be honest. We never...talked about it."

"Oh." Emily's smile fell as well, but Daniel quickly attempted to keep the mood light.

"But if it's fishing you want, then it's fishing you'll get."

* * *

There was a local general store several miles from Daniel and Emily's cabin where they obtained fishing rods, bate and groceries for the week. They were on the water within a few hours in an old wooden boat, rods perched in anticipation of catching the trout they had told would be nearby.

Emily did not seem to mind simply communing with nature without the luxuries their Hampton lifestyle offered, nor the lack of seeing another human being for miles, other than the man that sat before her. In the quietness of their surroundings, Daniel felt more at ease, while Emily saw it as an opportunity to get more acquainted with him.

"So... please tell me more about yourself, Daniel. I'd like to get to know my husband better." She requested.

"Okay. Well... like you said, I was basically brought up as royalty. I'm pretty certain I was driven home from the hospital in a limo." He shrugged. "I attended the best prep schools, college and then onto Harvard Business. I met you the summer after my first year."

"Did you go back?"

"No. Things...took a different course. I ended up working at the family company, while it was still thriving... even ousted my dad as CEO."

"That was bold."

"Well, it wasn't without its consequences. Truth is, there was a time I didn't think I even wanted to be part of the corporate world. I actually wanted to be a poet."

"A poet? Wow. What stopped you?" Emily asked, intrigued.

"My parents, I suspect. But I don't know...it just wasn't meant to be, I guess. Maybe I should have been a poet though. Things sure would have turned out a lot differently."

"So that's why I filled that scrapbook with poems," Emily surmised, thinking of the brown leather book that had recently become one of her most prized possessions.

"Yes. "Where we love is home. Home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts." I recited that poem to you at the end of our first date," Daniel explained, discovering that just talking to her really was not so bad, after all. Emily was an excellent and receptive listener. "I think I believed anything was possible that night." He added softly in fondness of his recollection.

There was a sudden tug on his line, interrupting their special moment. Being the inexperienced fisherman that he was, Daniel tried to recoil it and automatically stood up in the boat. "Daniel, don't -" Emily warned, but it was too late. The boat began to rock, causing him to lose his balance and fall over the side. Emily brought her hand to her mouth, the other firmly gripped on the wooden structure in attempt to not fall in herself.

Daniel came up out of the water laughing, and Emily's alarmed expression quickly turned into laughter as well until they were both laughing hysterically. It was the first time they had laughed together since the nightmare had begun. It was actually the first time they laughed together in a very long time, Daniel realized. And it felt nice.

* * *

"We have a problem," Nolan said to both Jack and Aiden after making a dramatic entrance into the, otherwise empty, Stowaway.

"Another one?" Aiden asked with sarcasm. Things had not exactly been going according to plan as of late.

"Yes. It seems Daniel has whisked Emily away for a _honeymoon_," Nolan informed his co-hearts in disgust.

"Well, that's just great," Jack muttered from behind the bar.

"Any idea where they've gone?" Aiden questioned, rather disturbed by the thought of Emily being alone with Daniel for any length of time.

Nolan took a seat on one of the bar stools. "Charlotte doesn't know. Apparently, it was top secret in attempt to keep the media away."

"At least we know Daniel won't hurt her physically," Jack offered in attempt to console himself.

Aiden shook his head. "We don't know that. I'm not convinced he wasn't the shooter."

"Come on man, I hate the guy too, but there's no denying how much he's loved Emily... however misguided it might have been," Jack reminded.

"Daniel has already proven he's willing to pull the trigger." Aiden pulled down the neck of his shirt to reveal the scar the bullet had left. The bullet he took when Daniel had fired Emily's gun.

"Wait, Daniel _shot_ you?" Nolan asked, stunned.

Jack echoed with a simple, "Why?"

"It's a long story," Aiden mumbled. "We need to figure out where they are."

* * *

That night, thousands of miles away, Daniel was pouring he and Emily each a glass of Pinot Noir when she entered the living room, the golden lighting of the room illuminating her skin. Daniel looked at her for a long moment before handing her the glass. Emily smiled as she accepted it and raised it for a toast. "To us," She suggested.

Daniel's mind flashed to the night she had made the same toast on the the roof of Grayson Global, lifting her left ring finger to draw attention to the fact she was wearing the engagement ring again. He quickly pushed the memory away. "To us."

After they both had taken a swallow of wine, Emily continued pensively. "Daniel, would you mind if I asked some more questions?"

"You can ask whatever you want, Em. I just may not know the answer... as was proven on several occasions today." Questions regarding her own past seemed to stump him. There was so much she had never told him. How had he not noticed it before, Daniel wondered?

Emily smiled encouragingly. "Well, these are about our relationship so you should know the answers."

Daniel gave a nod with a small grin. "Okay, I think I can handle that."

"I just would like to know more about the beginning of our relationship. Charlotte told me how I spilled my drink on your jacket which sounds rather embarrassing, but...I don't know...I just want to know about our first kiss, how we fell in love...things like that." The topic of their love was one Daniel had been trying to avoid, but it was a reasonable request, and he knew Emily deserved honest answers from him.

And so he forced himself to return to the past again. It really would not be that difficult. The images of that time were so vivid in his mind. It was almost better to live in the past than the present for the present held so much pain. "The first few months of our relationship were the best days of my life."

Daniel paused, setting his wine glass on the coffee table, then taking Emily's and doing the same. Nothing needed to cloud the moment. "I had met this beautiful and brilliant woman... and you captured my heart. I wanted you. I wanted you more than I've ever wanted anyone or anything."

Emily was not expecting such a response from him. Daniel was finally revealing himself to her, confirming there had not always been such a distance between them. "And once you had me?" She softly prompted.

Daniel stepped forward becoming lost in the moment, the memories consuming. He took her face in his hands as he had the other night. "I never wanted to let you go."

It startled Emily when Daniel's lips crashed against her own, hungrily kissing her. It was different than the kiss they had previously shared. This one was lustful and filled with need. Daniel was not certain what he was trying to accomplish. Emily had once been everything to him, but she had ripped the dream away. He wanted it back, if only for a few minutes. And so he desperately sought to find the feelings he had once experienced with her.

Daniel pulled away suddenly while he still had the willpower to do so, and Emily brought her fingertips to her stinging mouth, looking downwards. "You weren't ready for that... I'm sorry," Daniel apologized.

She shook her head to the contrary. "Why did you stop?"

"I...I wanted to be mindful of your injuries," Daniel lied. He was losing control again, and he cursed himself for even wanting her. He needed air, but he couldn't leave her without arousing even more suspicion. Emily was no fool, memory or not, and knew there must be more to it than he was letting on. "Is it chilly in here to you? I think we need more fire wood." The temperature was irrelevant, but Daniel needed a distraction. He walked over to the fireplace, stoking the fire.

Emily played along. "Well, that's thoughtful of you, but...it's not a problem anymore."

Daniel narrowed his brow as she began to unbutton her shirt in explanation. His brow then crumpled in horror when he saw the burned circular scars on her skin. "What the hell? What did you do?"

"I had my nurse cauterize me."

"Are you insane? What compelled you to do such a thing?"

Emily shrugged as if the decision had been insignificant. "I was tired of the pain."

"When did you do this?"

"Yesterday morning after you left for work. I was sitting in front of the fire, feeling sorry for myself, and...the thought occurred to me. I realized that was one area of my life that I could control...so I did."

Daniel shook his head, experiencing a mixture of emotions. Obviously, she was much braver than he had ever thought about being, and it further proved there was so much he still needed to learn about her. "I guess I really have been a fool."

"What are you talking about?" Emily questioned in confusion and closed her shirt, feeling vulnerable.

"You made the choice to do that because...that's who are you. But I don't know that part of you.

It was one of the many things you kept it closed off. You told me it was because of the loss you'd experienced as a child, that it was hard for you to trust. But it wasn't entirely your fault... Maybe I just never made you feel safe enough to reveal that part of yourself to me." Daniel moved closer to her. "You ask me questions, and I don't know the answer to them. Because I guess I don't even really know you. I don't even know my own wife."

"You don't mean that," Emily breathed, not wanting it to be true. She needed him to know her better than anyone else did. She was relying on it because she did not even know herself.

Though risky, their conversation was therapeutic for Daniel. He was finally having the opportunity to express the pent up thoughts and emotions he had been withholding. Ironically, Emily was an ignorant audience without the ability to offer any kind of explanation of the past. "All I've wanted is for you to love me as much as I've loved you. To need me as much as I've needed you. I don't think... you've ever needed me until now," Daniel said softly, the thought occurring to him for the first time.

Emily was moved by his pain and by the rawness of his words. "I can't change the past, Daniel. I don't even know who I was in the past. I obviously hurt you... and I'm sorry."

It wasn't fair for her to shoulder the blame though, not after what he had done. "Like I've said before, we've both hurt each other."

"But I do need you now, Daniel. I'm so scared," Emily admitted in a whisper which caused Daniel to wrap his arms around her for a warm embrace. Emily held onto him tightly, finally feeling secure.

"I'm here, Em. I'm not going anywhere." He promised. Very slowly, Emily began to pull away, her cheek brushing Daniel's as she did so. Gently, he pressed his forehead to her's, his breathing heavy. Emily's heart rate increased in anticipation, wanting so badly to find out how it would feel to be intimate with him. Daniel knew he was about to cross a line, one of which he thought he never would again.

"Be with me tonight," Emily mumbled as she placed her lips to his. Weary from resisting her, Daniel gave in and enveloped her mouth in passion. But this time when their kiss ended, it was only momentary as he led her to the bedroom. Immediately, they discarded their clothing and met under the sheets. Daniel brushed a few stray strands of hair from Emily's face as she slid below him, her eyes welcoming.

"You sure?" Daniel questioned, reminding himself how wrong it was to be with her under such pretenses. But Emily answered with a kiss and he could no longer refuse. He did not want to.

Every motion, every kiss, was perfectly executed and timed. Emily wondered if anything had ever felt so good to her. She could not imagine anything better. It was as if a kaleidoscope of colors were being revealed to her for the first time, and it was perfection. She wrapped her arms around Daniel, longing for him to be even closer. He simply could not be close enough.

God help him, Daniel still loved her. Despite the lies, despite all the pain she had caused, Emily was still the pinnacle for him. Being one with her again had brought him an indescribable sense of relief, and one that he did not know he was seeking. As he moved deeper, he felt her body responding willingly and feverishly to his. It was then that Daniel realized she must have been holding back before. For all the times they'd made love, she had never been as free as this.

Maybe Charlotte had been right when she said they had been given a second chance, a clean slate. Maybe Emily's memory loss had finally given Daniel the opportunity to know who she was at the core. Maybe they would be better than they were before. Maybe.

* * *

**A/N: My apologies for the long delay in updating this fic, and I thank you for all your kind words on the previous chapter! It is my hope that there is still interest in the fic and that you will be pleased with the direction of this installment. I have some curves in mind for future chapters and would love to hear your thoughts. :)**


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